Crisis in Space: International Space Station Computers Fail

Russian computers that control the international space station's orientation and supply of oxygen and water have failed, potentially extending the space shuttle's mission -- or cutting it short.

Russian engineers aren't sure why the computers stopped working. A failure of this type has never occurred before on the space station.

The station is operated primarily by the Russian and U.S. space agencies, with contributions from the Canadian, European and Japanese space agencies.

"We have plenty of resources, so we have plenty of time to sort this out," said Mike Suffredini, NASA manager of the space station program.

But the computer failure could extend space shuttle Atlantis' mission by at least a day and, in a worst-case scenario, force the space station's three crew members to return to Earth early if the computers aren't fixed.

The good news is that with the Atlantis docked at the space station, needed repairs could be made, or the astronauts on board the space station can return to earth on the shuttle if the repairs cannot be achieved.

The bad news is that one has to wonder why backup systems did not kick in to address the failure of the primary systems.

One possible source of the problem may have been the installation of new solar arrays that are designed to increase power available to the station.